Rolling Toes

Arthur has ridden off, on his bicycle.

Captain Bruni is in charge of the crossing in the dinghy, towed by the ferry.

The ferry has not left yet.

He wonders if he should have further words with the ferry captain.

He imagines the scenario.

Himself (Captain Bruni): By the way, Captain, there will be another passenger in the dinghy.

Ferry Captain: May I have a word with him?

Himself: That is not necessary. He is an infant.

Ferry Captain: An infant? It would be safer for him to travel on board the ferry.

Himself: Yes, I know that. But I wish to teach him a lesson.

Ferry Captain: It's no longer the olden days, Captain Bruni. I won't allow it.


At this point, Captain Bruni ceases imagining the scenario.

No, he will not tell the ferry captain.

Jump in, Terence, says Captain Bruni. Sit at the front.

Terence clambers into the dinghy, which slides sideways in the shallows and wedges itself in the sand.

Too much weight! cries Captain Bruni.  Fly upwards, Jinjing.

Jinjing flies upwards. The dinghy floats free.

The ferry engines roar. The ferry chugs away from Bruny Island, towing the dinghy, with Terence and Captain Bruni on board.

Thump-thump, the dinghy rolls up and down in the wash.

Terence, in the bow, rises and falls alarmingly.

At one point the dinghy is vertical.

Terence tumbles off his seat and lands on the tender part of Captain Bruni, where his carapace joins to his tail.

Ouch! says Captain Bruni. My old back injury!

The dinghy rights itself. Terence tries to return to his seat.

But two of his toes are broken  and it's not easy.

Wah! cries Terence. I've lost two toes. Where are they?

I can't move at the moment, groans Captain Bruni.

Jinjing, who was flying above the dinghy, to keep the weight down, now lands on the tiller.

Lucky I'm here, says Jinjing.

You must take over, says Captain Bruni.

What do I do? asks Jinjing.

Whatever you think best, says Captain Bruni. Oooher-fooh-uch!

Right, says Jinjing. A redistribution. Terence, you sit in the middle.

I am in the middle, says Terence.

That's good, says Jinjing. Stay right where you are.

What about me? asks Captain Bruni.

To the middle, says Jinjing.

It seems to Jinjing that the safest place in a dinghy must be the middle.

Perhaps he is right, perhaps he isn't, but he is in charge, so Captain Bruni rolls his way to the middle.

Now Captain Bruni and Terence are both in the middle. The dinghy is surprisingly stable.

Do you have any signal flags? asks Jinjing.

Not in the dinghy, says Captain Bruni. Ouff-ughh!

Medical kit? asks Jinjing.

No, why? asks Captain Bruni.

Painkillers, says Jinjing. Wait! What are these?

As if they would be painkillers, rolling randomly on the floor of the dinghy.

There are two of them. Little round grey balls.

Terence's toes, more than likely.